WHat is a doula?
The word doula comes from the Greek word meaning “female slave.” It was first popularized in the 1960s by anthropologist Dana Raphael to describe women who supported other women through birth and early motherhood.
A more updated understanding defines a doula as a provider of non-medical support and guidance during significant life experiences, such as childbirth, postpartum, and end-of-life.
Because the word’s origins are tied to both gender and slavery, doula is complex and conflicted, and many have chosen to use alternative language for the valuable work they do.
So Why Use it?
At the simplest level, doula is the most widely recognized word for this kind of care. And while I’ve trained under this title and use it in my practice, my intention is to both honor and transcend its limitations.
To me, this work is a reminder that we are all, in some way, beholden to the breath in our lungs. We are each participants in the cycle of life and death. And yet, I believe in personal sovereignty. No system or person can truly enslave another. Our souls are wild, sacred, and uncontainable.
My commitment as a doula is to walk with others through significant thresholds– not as an expert or savior, but as a witness and companion to and for the birther, the dying person, the ancestor, the newborn. In this way, I step aside to serve, not as a slave, but as someone who honors the soulful task of walking with others through liminal spaces.
In that spirit, I have accepted the word doula with an open hand, knowing I may one day call this work by a different name. Whatever the title, it remains my deepest honor to walk alongside you.
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